Huawei’s latest high-end smartphone will not make history with the level of its sales, which seem to be limited by very low stocks. However, it could represent a major technological advance for China, which is still reeling from Washington’s significant chip export restrictions.
SOC engraved in 7nm
The Huawei Mate Pro 60, discreetly launched at the end of August, is actually equipped with a new system-on-a-chip (SoC) engraved in 7 nm by the Chinese company Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), according to initial reports. Analyzes from the Canadian company TechInsights. This would be the first time that a Chinese company would be able to produce such advanced components (although they are still several generations behind).
The new SoC developed by Huawei, according to tests carried out by Bloomberg, is said to be equipped with a 5G modem that allows speeds equivalent to those of Qualcomm modems, which are equipped in particular in the latest iPhones. Huawei has not confirmed that its smartphone can connect to 5G, a point generally highlighted in the marketing discourse, particularly in China, where the latest generation of mobile internet is already well established.
Several elements remain to be determined. Firstly, SMIC’s production capacity: the Mate Pro 60 sold out quickly. Then the production costs, which could be much higher. Finally, the equipment used by SMIC: some observers wonder whether the company managed to obtain from the Dutch ASML an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography system that is banned from export to China.
Warning for the United States
This technology raises for the first time questions about the effectiveness of American sanctions against Huawei, which was blacklisted by Washington in September 2020. Since then, the company has no longer been able to purchase components piece by piece from American manufacturers, but also from foreign corporations that use American equipment, without authorization. In other words, almost all players in the industry, even Chinese manufacturers like SMIC.
Last year, the Biden administration went a step further and restricted exports to China of the most advanced chips and the equipment needed to make them. Under pressure from Washington, the Netherlands and Japan also restricted their machine exports. In the face of these sanctions, Beijing has increased its investment in the sector tenfold, hoping to make up for years of delays. The Mate 60 Pro therefore represents a first warning for the USA.
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